[Mesenteric lipoma causing volvulus of the small intestine]

Volvulus of the small bowel is not so frequent as is volvulus of the colon. A delayed diagnosis and surgical treatment result in high rate bowel infarction which can lead to perforation and stercoral peritonitis. If perforation does not take place, the infarcted bowel has to be resected causing multiple complications and mortality. The small bowel volvulus is caused by mesenteric lipoma in about 5% of cases. We present a 77-year-old man operated on for intestinal obstruction. The patient was admitted in a serious condition with a five-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting. On admission he vomited a small bowel content (miserere), he was dehydrated and with high blood urea and creatinine values. Plain X-ray showed a number of air fluid levels in the small bowel. At operation a small bowel volvulus caused by mesenteric lipoma (18 x 11 x 10 cm in diameter) with bowel infarction but without free perforation and peritonitis, was found. The tumour was removed together with 10 cm of resected bowel with end-to-end anastomosis. The recovery was uneventful. The patient is still symptom free.